1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to caps worn on the head to protect from water falling into the hair, e.g., as when in the shower or from rain, and particularly to caps having a pouch for containment of long hair such as a pony tail or the like, and also having a shield to protect the face from water.
2. Background Information
It is well known to use a cap, hat or similar such device when outdoors for protection of the head against rain, and also to wear a cap in the shower in order that the hair may be kept dry. Typical such caps, however, extend only over the upper region of the head, so that significant portions of the neck and shoulders remain unprotected. As a consequence, persons who have long hair in the back, e.g., even extending to the waist or further, are not provided with means for preventing rain or shower water from drenching that long hair.
Also, occasions arise when, for example, a lady has carefully applied makeup to her face and would like to take a shower without disturbing that makeup. Similar needs may arise, for example, when a person suffers from medical conditions involving the face, or has had eye or ear surgery or the like, and may have bandages or dressings applied to the head or face that should not become wet by rain or in the shower. No prior art rain or shower caps of which this inventor is aware provide any means for protecting the face, as well as the hair, from either rain or shower water.
Typical of existing caps is that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,830 issued Aug. 30, 1983, to Gaitan. A feature of this device is the inclusion of an upwardly-extending frame that maintains the crown of the device upwardly away from the hairdo. A related device described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,455,970 issued Oct. 10, 1995 to Vance et al. has a pliable crown extending upwardly from a headband, the crown being adjustable in height so as to accommodate different styles of hairdo. Neither of such devices, however, nor any other of which the inventor is aware, is convenient for use by a person having a style of hairdo that is not formed atop the head but is instead allowed to hang freely down the back, whether naturally or as a pony tail or braids or the like, and neither do any such devices provide any protection for the rest of the head, including the face. It is the purpose of the present invention, therefore, to provide a shower or rain cap that has the advantages both of permitting convenient means for protecting either styled or naturally flowing long hair from rain or shower water, while also protecting the rest of the head, including the face.